Weekends are often meant for catching up on household chores and relaxing, but a local church is hoping residents won't be total couch potatoes on Saturday and instead come out to get some free east-coast spuds.
Officials at Bethel Community Church will be doling out 10-pound bags of Prince Edward Island potatoes from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Saturday, says Brian Greig, chair of council at the St. Vincent Street church.
“We were called a few weeks ago by the Barrie Rotary Club, (which) is wonderfully generous and had acquired these potatoes and were wondering if we’d be willing to participate with them and hand them out to some members of our community,” he told BarrieToday. “We thought it was great and they were free.”
Greig was anticipating the delivery of 1,000 bags of potatoes to arrive around 2 p.m., noting in addition to what they are receiving, the church will also be storing an additional 1,000 bags, which he believes the Rotary Club will eventually be distributing to other churches or organizations in the city.
“This has happened in other areas I’ve heard… because the Americans are not accepting PEI potatoes and they’re stuck with all of these potatoes. We’ve put it on Facebook and, from what I hear, it’s gone pretty viral,” he said. “We have talked to (other churches) and they are going to take a few hundred bags to give out. If we don’t get rid of them all on Saturday, we will do it another day.”
Whether you prefer mashed, roasted, scalloped or baked, potatoes make a great and easy addition to any meal, Greig acknowledged, adding his preference is the tried-and-true baked potato.
“They are great free potatoes and they’re wonderful potatoes from what I understand,” he said. “There’s no strings attached.”
Bethel Community Church is located at 128 St. Vincent St., near Penetang Street.
